Apparatus for perforating cinematographic films.



J. E. THORNTON.

APPARATUS FOR PERFoRATlNG CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9 |913.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR. .T

2 f Z l(l OIL Z THE-COLUMBIA PLANGRAPH CO., WASHINGTON, D. C-

1. E. THORNTON. APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 91 1913.

1, 169,097, Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

5 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

CA E /v Mr/z, 61%

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON, D. u.

J. E. THORNTON. APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS. APPLICATIQNl mep MAY. 9. 1913.

l 1,169,097. Patented 31.11.18, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Figi. Q d

VWlTNESSES. l |NVENTR m6 l JZ'ILZZZor/Loz@ J. E. THORNTON.

APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING CINEMATOGRAPHIG FILMS.

PPUCATIQN FILED MAY 9|.19l3- 1,169,097. v Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

f I 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

m FElL INVENTOR. JOILZ, .Zw/z ormam TME CDLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

J. E. THORNTON.

APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING CTNEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS.

APPLICATION flLED MAY 9, 1913.

1,169,097, Patented 1311.18, 1916.

5SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WITNESSES. INVENTOR.

C75/azz, Z. flac/vz om fm/LM lsTirrEs PATENT OEEIOE. JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YOEKASsINO co JOHN OWDEN vOEEIEN, OE MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

ArPAEA'rUsk FOR PEErOmA'rINGry CINEMATOGRAPHTIC FILMS.l

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN EDWARD THORN- TON, a British subject, residing at Rochester, New York, UnitedStates of America, have invented certain new and useful Improve-' ments in Apparatus for Perforating Clnematographic Films, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention .relates to the yperforating of cinematograph or motion picture films after thefilm4 isV printed, developed, dried, shrunk and finished and which canv take place when the film is capable of being eX- posed to light, and is applicable for example to films described in my application Serial No. 7 33633, led Nov. 26, 1912, though it may be applied to any single width or multi-width film which is to be perforated afterbeing printed.

The machines hitherto used for perforating films have been `constructed with re.- ciprocating punches, feed apparatus to engage the perforations and `draw the film forward and adjusting mechanisms to adjust and determine the distance between the punch holes. Y i

My invention consists essentially in the application to or combination Awith film punching machines having an adjustable feed mechanism of means for visually inspecting .the pictures. as perforation of the film progresses in order that the voperator may adjust the perforations to any variations in thepictures due to shrinkage or Vknown construction with a table A, punches other causes.

The vinvention m11 u. fully aeserbed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1. is a sectional elevation of lm punching machine with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2. is a diagram showing the simplest form of the invention. Fig. .3.'is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of the machine. Fig. 4. is a transverse sectional elevation of same.. Fig.' 5; is a plan. Figs. 6 and 7. are transverse sectional elevation and plan showing a modified arrangement. Fig. 8. is a diagrammatic plan showing severalf'machines working together..

rIhe vfilm punching apparatus may be of B, feed apparatus C and `mechanism D with an'V indicating finger cl for `positioning the film beforel each perforation is punchedas in Figs. r1,6 and 7 Or Vthe feed apparatus l Specification of Letters Patent. I Patentedt'fan. 18', 1916 Application filed May 9, 1913. Serial No. 766,596.

C may be constructed with a horizontal hooked arm c and an adjustable fulcrum c as 1n F lgs.v 3, 4 and 5, the fulcrum c being carried by a stud or bolt c2 raised and lowered by a nut c3. To vthe nut an indicating finger or lever Z is attached over a calibrated sector plate 04, by which the position ofthe fulcrum o and with it the feed of the arm cv can be altered and adjusted as the punching progresses.

In order` to insure proper results, the film feeding` means C engages perforations which have been previously made in the film by the punches B. The lm feeding devices shown are given as examples, and it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto.

. To the punching machine I apply means for visually inspecting the pictures as they are moved forward in succession so that the operator may see after each perforation is punched the relative position of the picture to the lperforation and whether any adjustment is required. In its simplest formthis may comprise an illuminated panel VE and an electric or otherV light F with a gage or index thereon over which the film travels so thatthe operator may constantly observe the film. rl`his Aobservation may be done by the naked eye as in Figs. 2 and 3 bymeans of the lamp F placed below an aperture in a panel placed in the table of the machine.

In order to render the inspection more easy and reliable I prefer to illuminate the film with a powerful light F and by means of a lens or lensesG project an enlarged image of the picture onto a screen H.

The light' F may be placed above the film with a reflector g and lens G below it and a vertical screen H infront ofthe machine as in 1. Or the light F may be placed at one side of the machine with a reiiector g, below the film to direct the light through it and a refiector g anda lens or lenses G above the film to project the picture on to `a vertical screen as in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

The lens orlenses G, the light F, and the lreflector gV may be arranged in any lother .optical combination by which. the picture from the fillnwill be projected onto a screen flected instead of transmitted light.

For a multi-width or multi-color film two or more lenses may be employed one for each section of the film and if desired these may be arranged to superimpose the pictures on the screen so that they can be DSpeCted in their complete colors as shown at H Fig. 8.

It will be found most convenient to place the screen I-I vertically-such as on the wall of the workroom-and in that case one operator is able to readily inspect, check and superintend the work of several machines at a time, passing a glance over a row of projected images, yand instantly adjusting the feed adjustment of any machine requiring adjustment as in Fig. 8. To facilitate the rapidity and accuracy of suoli tests thepanel or aperture, through which thel picture is projected, or the screen, is provided with gage dies, masks, or other indicators, to show whether the position of a picture. is getting out of truth ornot. By this arrangement the slightest variation in the picture from shrinkage of the film or other cause can be readily detected and eliminated so as to secure correct registration.` Multiwidth films are perforated across all, the sections simultaneously at one operation of the punch thereby securing that the latter will accu.- rately register whensuperimposedt In producing cinematographic films by present known methods, the film is perforated first, then printed,l and registration of eachpicture in its proper position is insured because every picture is printed singly and the film fed or drawn forward by mechanism which engages with the perforations. As the perforations are accurately spaced' all the same distance apart, the film is always drawn forward the same distance,l and the pictures are therefore always printed centrally in the space allotted to them. Suchis possible because the films used are of the rapid variety (such as gelatino-silver bromid) which require only a fraction of a secondfor each exposure. But in producing cinematographic films by the new method, the sensitized material isofr the slow variety (such asl gelatino-bichromate), requiring-an exposure of about five to fifteen minutes for every picture. Therefore, while itis technically possible to print by this slow process onV film which has been perforated before hand and thereby insure the same accuracy ofl registration as would be secured when using a more rapid process, it will be obvious that it would have no commercial value because of the excessively long exposure and consequently small output per hour. This question of output is dealt with by printing as many pictures at, a ltime by the slow process as are necessary to bring the output.

per hourl up to the same as by the rapid process. Thisis effected by exposinga very long length of the film (say 1 000 pictures at a time) to an extended streak of light emitted by a lamp of such character that the heat generated is insufficient to damage the celluloid film during the long exposure necessary. But if the slow sensitized film is perforated before printing, with regular spacing as used for rapid sensitized film, it will be found, when the negative and sensitized films are extended and their perforations compared, that the perforations in the two films do not coincide, the sensitized film particularly being wrong. The effect of this discrepancy is, that when the sensitized film has been1 printed, developed, washed and dried, and its pictures are projected in magnified form upon the lantern screen, the pictures will climb up or down on the screen, because the perforations by which the film is moved through the lantern do not register with the pictures. This fault can only be overcome by perforatingthe film after it is printed, andfby alteringthe spacing of the perforations to make them correspond with the picture-just the opposite ofthe system used in regular practice,'where thepictures are made to correspond. with the perforations instead. Onlyby perforating in this way is it possible to produce successful pictures by slow printing processes.

lVhen perforating the rapid sensitive film for the old gelatino-silver process the film is perforated while in its sensitive condition,

in totall darkness, and by automatic machinery, no visual inspection of the film during the process being necessary. But when perforating films made by the new process, because perforations have to be adjusted to suit'the positions of the finished pictures, it is necessary to inspect the picturesl during perforation, and this is most conveniently'done by projecting an enlarged image of same onto a suitable screen. By this means a very slight variation in theposition of' each picture is readily shown, and the error is immediately corrected by the operatorL moving a pointer or other device that will shorten or lengthen the feed stroke of the film shifting mechanism. It will therefore be understood that cinematographic films by this new process cannot be satisfactorily perforated except in the manner indicated by thisinvention, viz., after development, and by aid ofprojection, and by aidof an adjustable perforating machine combined.

vWhat I claim as my invention and desire tofprotect by Letters Patent is l.Vv In a machine for perforating printed cinematographic films, the combination of film vpunching devices, gaging means located inpredetermined relation' to the punching devices for affording visual inspection of the pictures onthe printed filmduring perforation thereof, and mechanism cooperative with perforations previously made in the film by the punching devices for advancingthe film to receive perforations for the successive pictures, said mechanism being adjustable to vary the extent to Which the film is advanced at each operation.

2. In a machine for perforating printed cinematographic films, the combination of film perforating devices, gaging means in predetermined relation to the' perforating devices for transmitting light to the printed film during the perforating operation and t0 afford optical inspection thereof', means cooperative With perforations previously made in the film by the perforating devices for advancing the film to receive perforations for the successive pictures, and means for varying the extent to which the film is advanced at each operation by the feeding means.

3. In a machine for perforating printed cinematographic lms, the combination of film perforating means, film feeding means coperative With the perforations previously Ymade by the perforatmg means, and picturegaging means in predetermined relation to the perforating means' for projecting an enlarged image of the picture on the printed film during the perfor-ating operation.

In testimony whereof Irhave hereunto set my hand n presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN EDWARD THORNTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. NESBITT, SAML. J. Cox.

G01-aies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

